The Presidential Library’s historical materials spotlight the Day of Russia

The Day of Russia is celebrated in our country on June 12. It was on this day in 1990 that the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) adopted the Declaration of the State Sovereignty of Russia, which proclaimed the primacy of the Russian Constitution and its laws. The day of adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation was given the status of the state holiday by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of June 2, 1994. Since June 16, 1998, the holiday has been called the Day of Russia, but it was only on February 1, 2002 that it officially received a new name, when the provisions of the new Labor Code came into effect.

The Presidential Library provides access to unique documents and materials related to such a momentous holiday for the whole country.

«Constitution – Basic Law» collection, available on the Presidential Library’s portal, features texts of constitutions of the Russian state of different historic epochs – the first RSFSR constitution of 1918, three constitutions of the USSR (of 1924, 1936 and 1977), constitutions of Soviet - union and autonomous – republics in different editions, constituent regions of the Russian Federation and the current Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993.   

«The Constitution of the Russian Federation. 1993» collection comprises a unique selection of digital copies of official documents, as well as studies, essays, memoirs, video materials which highlight the drafting of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in 1993. The collection contains documents which reflect the direct participation of the President of the Russian Federation in the work on the draft constitution, the work of the Constituent Assembly. Undoubtedly, of great interest are documents from private collections of direct participants of the Constitution’s drafting, video recordings of their addresses. The collection gives a chance to feel the atmosphere of the working process on the draft, to gain a deeper insight into the historical significance of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The collection also provides access to current video lectures on the Constitution. To build up this digital collection the Presidential Library has united the holdings of the Archive of the President of the Russian Federation, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the State Duma of the Russian Federation, the Presidential Executive Office and private collections.

Official editions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 and legislative acts on amendments to the Constitution are available in «The Constitution of the Russian Federation» collection.

The Presidential Library’s Exhibition Hall houses the only copy of the inaugural constitution, on which all Presidents of the Russian Federation take the oath of office. The electronic copy of this document is available on the Presidential Library’s portal.

You can visit the Constitution Hall of the Presidential Library from any corner of the world via 3D-tour on the «Electronic Museum of the Constitutional History of Russia» website. Visitors of the virtual exhibition may discover digitized copies of documents featuring notes of the head of the state, videos about solemn inauguration ceremonies of the President of the Russian Federation of different years as well as digitized subscription lists, which the heads of the state filled in after taking the oath.

The Presidential Library has been implementing the "Presidential Chronicle" project which aims to shape an objective view on the history of Russia based on the documentary materials, and reveal the history of the presidential power institution.  Thus, the Presidential Library’s portal provides access to the following films: "Symbols of the Presidential Power", «Personal Library of the President of the Russian Federation», «The Archive of the President of the Russian Federation», «I address the President».

Besides, the Presidential Library’s portal features official symbols of the state and state authority and "The State Symbols of Russia" film-trilogy, with each part dedicated to one of the three symbols of the state – the emblem, the anthem and the flag.